Envelope for garments



Oct. 10, 1939. F, L. GODING ENVELOPE FOR GARMENTS Filed Sept. 24, 1958 Zmwwlhzz b .w u, raw, (3% W Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT FOFiFlCE nivvfllorn i izamls'rs I Florence L. Godlng, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application September 24, 1938, Serial No. 231,515

3 Claims. (or 206-7) This invention relates to an envelope for garments or the like which are to be packed in a suitcase or trunk for travel.

It is often desirable to pack a number of garl ments, such for example as dresses, in a suitcase. It is an object of the present invention to provide individual envelopes or containers for such garments which will be of negligible weight and will occupy practically no extra space, but which will i facilitate access to any garment in a suitcase without disturbing other garments therein.

According to the present invention, an envelope of thin flexible material is provided, preferably transparent so that. individual garments therein 1 can be readily identified without opening the envelope. To maintain the envelope and contents in flat condition and to reduce the danger of e'dgewise crushing, suitable stiffening elements are provided. These elements are preferably gar- 20 ment hangers which are detachably secured in the envelope and are readily removable therefrom for use as hangers.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following 8; description thereof, and to the drawing of which I Figure 1 is a perspective view of an envelope embodying the invention, the flaps being in their unfolded position.

Figure 2 is-"a perspective view of the same with $0 the flaps folded.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, the invention may be embodied in a structure comprising a sheet of 3 thin transparent material such as a glycerinated cellulose hydrate regenerated from viscose and commonly known as Cellophane. For greater durability and wearing quality. the Cellophane should preferably be reinforced by netting or the 40 like embedded therein, this reinforcement being added in the manufacture of the sheet so asto be a part thereof.

to fit flatwise in a suitcase, trunk compartment,

4 or other space to be packed for storage or ship- ;ment. A pair of end flaps II project from the end edges of the central portion ll. A pair of side flaps II project from the side edges of the central portion "I. These flaps, many of them,

50 may be integral with the central portion I I or may be separate pieces attached thereto by stitching or otherwise.

of the invention illustrated on the drawing, the

side flaps ll are integral with the central portion 55 lo, the end flaps I: being individual pieces per- The sheet is made with .an oblong central portion Ill which is preferably of a size In the particular embodiment manently attached by stitching to the ends of the a central portion 10.

In the embodiment illustrated on thedrawing. along the lines of juncture between the end flaps l2 and the central portion l0 suitable reinforces 5 are preferably provided, such asvbindingtapes Zlland 22 which may be stitched as indicated at 24 in Figure 3.

Since thin Cellophane is soft ,and pliable so that it can be easily wrinkled or distorted by edgewise crushing, I preferably provide stiffening elements so as to maintain the envelope in. an approximately flat condition. To this end,

I may employ a pairof ordinary wire garment hangers 30, for example, each hanger having a width nearly equal to that of the envelope itself and a length a little less than half the'length of the envelope. The garment hangers may conveniently be of conventional shape as indicated in Figure 1, the hooks being adjacent to each other while the transverse portions 32 are detachably secured near the respective ends of the envelope so that the hangers 30 will lie'flat against the central portion ll! of the envelope and will be substantially covered by the end flaps it. Each garment hanger is preferably confined to one-half of the envelope, as shown in Figure 1, the hooks being near the midpoint of the envelope while the garment-supporting portions extend nearly into the two corners of the corresponding end of the envelope so that the envelope is foldable on its transverse median and each half thereof is stiffened lengthwise and transversely by the garment hangers. Any convenient means for detachably securing the hangers in place may be employed. As illustrated, a pair of fastening elements 34 are provided at each end, these elements each consisting of a pair of short tapes the ends of which are secured by a snap fastener 36 or other convenient means. It is evident that, do when the garment hangers 30 are in place in the envelope, they serve to maintain the envelope in its extended shape to prevent edgewise crushing. When the garments are removed from the envelope, the hangers may also be easily removed so as to serve in their usual capacity as hangers to support the garments.v Each envelope is intended to hold two garments such as dresses or the like, the transparent characteristic of the sheet material en bling the user to identify the garments without opening the envelope, since each garment will be visible through one side face of the envelope.

The edges of the flaps l2 and H are preferably bound with tape as at Ill. To facilitate the re- 8 move] of individual envelopes from a suitcase or compartment, I preferably provide suitable handles 42 which may be made of, pieces of tape, the ends of which are secured by the stitching 24;

In using envelopes as described, the stiii'ening elements 30 are secured in place by the fastening means 34. The flaps. I! are then folded over to substantially cover the elements 30. The flaps l2, however, are preferably less than half of the length of the central portion It so that these flaps do not overlap each other. After the end flaps have been folded over the central portion, the garments are then laid upon these flaps after being folded to approximately the size of the central portion M. Then the side flaps H are folded over the garments, whereupon the package is ready to be inserted in the suitcase or other compartment for which it is intended. The side flaps It, as illustrated, are nearly oblong in shape, the side edges conveying slightly and the length of each flap being a little more than half the width of the central portion III at) that the flaps overlap each other as illustrated in Figure 2 and substantially cover and protect the garments in the envelope.

If it is desired to pack the envelope in a smaller compartment, its area-may be halved by folding on the transverse median line between the hook portions of the hangers 30. This does not interfere with the stifiening function of the hangers in the envelope.

Since the materials employed in the envelope are excedingly thin and light, the envelope itself occupies negligible space and adds little to the weight of the suitcase or other container in which it is packed. The tape handles 42 facilitate the removal of successive envelopes from a compartment in whichthe envelopes flt closely.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in the particular embodiment of the invention herein shown anddescribed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as deflned in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An envelope forgarments or the like, comprising a sheet of thin flexible transparent ma terial having an oblong central portion witi folded-over flaps on the sides and ends thereo: and a pair of flat stiffening elements dispose between said central portion and said end flap and detachably secured to said envelope at th ends thereof, each said element extending ap proximately the full length and width of half 0 said envelope whereby each half of the envelop is stiflened lengthwise and transversely and th envelope is foldable on its transverse median said end flaps each being less than half th length of said central portion but substantiall: covering said stiffening elements, said side flap: partially overlapping each other;

2. An envelope for garments and the like, comprising a rectangular central portion of reinforced flexible transparent material and overlapping flaps of similar material extending in from respective edges of said central portion to overlie said central portion, in combination with a pair of substantially plane stiflening elements releasably secured within said envelope, each said element being confined to a respective end half of the envelope and extending for approximately the full length and width of its half, whereby the envelope lsfoldable on its transverse median and each half thereof is stiffened longitudinally and transversely.

3. An envelope for garments and the like, comprising a rectangular central portion of reinforced flexible transparent material and overlapping flaps of similar material-extending in from respective edges of said central portion to overlie said central portion, in combination with stiffening means consisting of a pair of substantially plane garment hangers between said central portion and flaps, each said hanger having a transverse portion extending into the two corners of the envelope at an end thereof and a hook extending nearly to the midpoint of the envelope, and means releasably securing said hangers in their respective positions.

FLORENCE L. GODING. 

